March 2009

Digital Security

- can be defined as the precautions users must take to protect their personal safety and the security of their network.

Essential Questions

1. How do students protect their technology in a digital society?
2. How can students be taught to protect themselves and their equipment from harm?

Digital Security Ussues

• Protecting hardwared and network security
• Protecting personal security: identity theft, phishing, online stalking
• Protecting school security: hackers, viruses
• Protecting community security: terrorist threats

Examples of Inappropriate Digital Security

• Teachers or students fail to maintain current software updates or patches that protect their computers from viruses and exploitation.
• Students fail to protect their identity when using e-mail, chat, or instant messaging.

Examples of Appropriate Digital Secuirty

• Users take the tiem to make sure their viruses protection and firewalls are properly updated and configured to protect personal information.
• Teachers and parents talk to students about the dangers of providing information to anyone over the Internet.

To better understand this concept, watch the following clip:



Meeting Discussion Questions:

1. Information about you that does not reveal your identity is called personal information.
2. Information that can reveal your identity is called private information.
3. What mistake did the young man in the video make regarding sharing personal vs. private information?

Part II: Interaction

As you learned in advisory, personal information (your age, gender, favorite food, etc.) is much less specific, and safer to share, than private information (your name, address, social security number, etc.). Many popular websites and online activities encourage (and in some cases require) users to share personal and private information. What kind of information about you is available online?

To get a sense of how easily personal and private information can be located, read this recent article from McAfee. After you have reviewed the search tips, (1) Google yourself and (2) Google your children (if you have any). As you sort through the results, note the information that you find and complete the appropriate search survey:

Parent Survey: Click Here
Child Survey: Click Here

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you feel "secure" with the amount of information about you that's available online? Why or why not?
2. Parents: Do you feel "secure" with the amount of information about your child that's available online? Why or why not?
3. What personal and private information guidelines do you think are reasonable for your family?

Part III: Follow-up and Reflection

Information, especially private information, should not be shared indiscriminately. In an online environment, however, we often tend to be overly trusting and this can lead to a false sense of security. Consider the story of Kimberly Elliott from Oakville, MO, who bet her daughter that she could become "friends" with all her daughter's contacts on FaceBook. Read the full story here.

Advisory Discussion Questions

1. How do you select your Facebook friends?
2. Do you personally know all of them?
3. Have you "friended" someone without know them?
4. What types of information do you put on your Facebook account?
5. Does this article make you weary about some of the things that you have posted on-line?

Web Resources for Digital Security

**Center for Safe and Responsibility Internet Use**
**Education CyberPlayGround**
**Educator's Guide to Computer Crime and Technology Misuse**
**CERT Home Computer Security:**

2009 VSTE Conference

What did you think of this year's conference?
What were your favorite sessions?
What, if anything would you change?
Did you have any "ah ha!" moments?

Internet Safety Poster Contest

Winners have been announced and certificates are being printed. Winners are listed on VBSCHOOLS.COM and will also be mentioned in the Superintendents report. Each winner will receive a plaque that will be presented to them by DOT. All winning entries will be copied and distributed to each corresponding school. All posters will be returned within in two weeks.

K-2 - Natalie Marie Pettitt Indian Lakes Elementary School “Click Smart”


3-5 - Gail Kelly Trantwood Elementary School “Internet Safety – So Easy A Dog Could Do It!”


MS - Ashley Miller Brandon Middle School “Keep Private Stuff Private”


HS - Tyler Yost Landstown High School “Always Be Safe on the Internet”




Grant Opportunities

Due March 28 Tech Museum Award www.techawards.org 31 ISTE SIG Media Specialist Technology Innovation Award www.iste.org 31 Captain Planet Foundation Grants www.captainplanetfdn.org Due April 1 SMARTer Kids Research Grants www.smarterkids.org/research/details.asp 27 Lemelson-MIT Program’s InvenTeam Grants http://web.mit.edu/inventeams 28 Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award www.galeschools.com/TEAMS 30 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes www.barronprize.org 30 Olympus America/Tool Factory Podcasting Contest www.toolfactory.com 30 ING Financial Services’ Unsung Heroes Awards www.ing.com/us/unsungheroes Due May 1 Intel Community Grants www.intel.com/community/grant.htm 1 American Honda Foundation Grant http://corporate.honda.com 30 Parent Group of the Year Contest www.ptotoday.com/pgy 31 Target Local Store Grants www.target.com (community link) Due June 1 Learning & Leadership Grants, sponsored by the NEA Foundation www.nfie.org 6 Student Achievement Grants, sponsored by the NEA Foundation www.nfie.org 11 The Lindbergh Foundation makes Grants to Recognize Technological Advancements and Environmental Preservation Efforts www.lindberghfoundation.org 12 Dollar General’s Back-to-School Grants www.dollargeneral.com/Community 15 Invent America! Student Contest www.inventamerica.org 30 Captain Planet Foundation Grants www.captainplanetfdn.org